Chicago’s Best Cosplay: Friday at C2E2

All this weekend, we’re taking photos of cosplayers at C2E2 in Chicago. And just as we have in past cons (and in past years) we’re adding photos of our favorite cosplayers to our growing Cosplay Gallery. What’s different about C2E2 than other cons? Well, the people are just so gosh-darned nice. Where New York Comic Con is brash and confident, and Emerald City in Seattle is creative and coy — Chicago is shy and polite. The cosplayers we met formed their own line at our booth, patiently let us pose them into all kinds of crazy formations, and were pleased as punch with the results. So are we. And it’s only Friday! Here’s a few of our favorites from the first day of C2E2….

Kim Jong-un & Nathan Drake

We saw a lot of groups of friends who showed up in sometimes wildly disparate cosplay, and one of our favorite groups included these two guys. We don’t know why anyone would choose to cosplay Kim Jong-un, but then again that guy lives in his own alternate universe and probably considers himself a superhero. We captured him kicking back with a Coke and a smile.

The Joker

We see a lot of Jokers at cons, but the best ones stand out when their makeup stands out. This fellow was the right combination of blood and comics. Not too much like the campy old version and not too far into Heath Ledger territory. A good balance.

Akatsuki

A great team of cosplayers can make a big impression, and this trio were kind enough to pose for us in all kinds of ways. Great teamwork.

Deadpool

There are a lot of Deadpools out there. It’s one of the most seen in the cosplay universe. It’s also a costume that’s not always done so well. But this one is pretty great. Tailored to the nines, this fellow brought his Deadpool A game. And even some swords that most definitely weren’t sanctioned for C2E2 (real swords!). Appropriately non-conformist all the way. Nicely done!

Captains America

We saw a whole lot of pretty great Captain Americas today, including one with an Ironman helmet on a pike. But we saw two who went in different directions that were equally awesome. One is an Avenger’s style and one is old school WWII style. Excellent attention to detail in both.

Batman trio

We saw so many great groups of cosplayers today, and we particularly liked this group because they were ready to camp it up for the camera. One of many good photos they posed for that were all about the facial expressions. Thanks for all the mugging!

Jedi Rey Man

Hands down the most popular cosplay this year? Rey from Star Wars the Force Awakens. You might expect that, but did you expect a dude cosplaying as Rey? Another unexpected detail here was his weapon. It’s a pretty massive 3D printed affair that he says took about 55 hours of printing time to make. Holy cow. That surprised us, too. Serious props for this 3D printed prop. Nice craftsmanship.

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon is pretty hard to pull off. You basically have to create something that covers the entire body, and it has to be full-on hair or fur — and you have to make a Quadruple Barrel Shock Rifle. That looks good. Huge amount of work!

Family Time

We absolutely love it when we see families and friends team up for a group cosplay. These folks took what they had on hand and made something fun. And they were aces at posing. It’s not always about technical skill when it comes to cosplay. In fact, it’s often about pure play.

Usagi Yojimbo

Full masks really make you do a double take. They are a combination of creepy and beautiful and hide the cosplayer almost completely, making the character seem, well, more like the character you see in your imagination or mind’s eye. This Usagi Yojimbo was pretty flawless in its detail and the mask was top notch. Beautiful.

Predator

We’ve seen a few Predators in our time, but wow. Just wow. This guy has made probably the best Predator we’ve ever seen. He’s holding the skull and cape of a dismembered Superman. Batman vs. Superman sounds interesting, but Superman vs. Predator sounds off-the-charts amazing. Someone make that movie, please!

Those were our favorites from day one of C2E2, but you can pick your own favorites in our Cosplay Gallery. We’ll be adding more all weekend. If by some chance you’re in Chicago and at C2E2, please come by and visit. We love taking photos and learning more about our users.